The corporate HR must learn why the sloth is slow in despite living with many predators.....
Sloths are described to be one of the slowest animals that live in tropical rain forest. They are strictly arboreal (lives in the upper canopy of trees) animals. Sloth is although described to be one of the slowest animals but is definitely not a lazy animal.
Why they are slow? When most animals are quick, swift, fast and alert as their life is always surrounded by predators and poachers, why Sloth alone has preferred to be slow? How the approach of a slow life as preferred by the Sloth is not hurting them in the dense tropical forest?
The corporate should delayer the answer of the above question and fit the same to the context of their corporate.
Sloth can afford to be slow in their life. They live in tropical rain forests as arboreal animals. They eat the foliage of trees. The tropical forests are very dense and because of the dense crown cover, even the sun shy to shine inside such forests.
The most remarkable aspect of the sloth is that their body is covered by thick fur. The fur is mostly colonized by certain green algae that give green, natural colour to the animal. When green coloration of algae in the black fur of the animal coupled with the slow movement, offers an excellent camouflage benefit to this arboreal species. The animal can perfectly conceal its identity from its environment with the above algal partnership.
Only when the sloth prefers to be slow, the algal colonization can sustain in the fur of the animal. When food is available in plenty and is well supported by the camouflage benefit naturally the animal need not be fast. The slow lifestyle only offers benefit and advantage to them.
Another reason prior to the slowness of the animal is that they sleep nearly 15 hours a day that further support the colonization of green algae.
The excellent camouflage due to the algal colonization in the fur, long hours of sleep, poor appetite and poor rate of metabolism only allows the sloth to be slow.
Many Sloths do exist in most corporate. Instead of asking or blaming these people, one should ask what really support them to be so in the corporate world.
The corporate that are governed by single man are the perfect ‘tropical rain forest’ ecosystem for these people.
Unless the factors that support the people in corporate to be ‘slow’ like sloth are not clearly understood and eliminated, the people would remain like ‘sloth’ motivating many others also to join their communion.
Sloth can afford to be slow as the ecosystem where it lives support and want them to be slow for their benefit. Whereas the people in corporate are employed primarily for the benefit of the corporate and the benefits of the employees are only consequential.
The HR function must learn a lot about nature in general and sloth ecology in particular to bring an excellent culture where the employees should be motivated to perform and not whipped to do the same.
Dr. S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai
Learn more from the following management books
Bamboo business approach
The corporate that engaged in the business of bamboo flowering must remember the fact that....
When You Insist on Quality: A Strategic Message to Corporate Leaders
In today's competitive business environment, understanding the true essence of quality is crucial for corporate leaders. Quality should not merely be about consistency and uniformity but should also embrace creativity and innovation. This article explores how leaders can redefine quality standards to foster both excellence and innovation within their organizations.
Understanding the Adaptive Leadership Styles in Corporate Environments
In the dynamic world of corporate leadership, adaptability is often a necessity rather than a choice. Leaders may alter their behaviors and strategies to navigate the complex landscape of organizational politics, market conditions, and internal team dynamics. This flexibility, while sometimes perceived negatively, can be a strategic advantage, echoing survival traits found in nature.
